| abstract | - Polly: Something wrong, Sugar? You're not your usual cheerful self all of a sudden. Sugar: No! No, no, everything's fine. Everything's okay... (She smiles nervously) Polly: Caber, I'm worried about Sugar. She's not her usual self. Caber: (looks) Hmm. You're right, Polly. That's not like her. Polly: Is there something we can do for her? Caber: It might be best if we left her be for now. She'll tell us when she's ready. Polly: I hope you're right. (holds Caber's hand) Polly: (notices) Caber, look. (points) Caber: (looks) Sugar, why are you tensed up? Is something wrong? Sugar: (nervously) Mm-mm! Joel: C'mon, Sugar. Spill the beans. Sugar: How about you hold your tongue? Polly: Please tell us, Sugar. We're worried about you. I'm worried about you. Sugar: You'll find out soon enough. Big Faye: Um, shouldn't we go to the Pokémon Center so your Pokémon can heal up? Caber: Good idea, Big Faye. Let's go. Big Faye: Aw, hello, little ones. (giggles) Sugar: I'm fine! Sugar: I'm not here! Polly: (peeks under the table) What're you talking about, Sugar? Of course you're here. Sugar: (through her teeth) Be quiet! Caber: (rolls his eyes) Sugar, c'mon. You're making a scene. Now come outta there. (goes to pull Sugar her out) Girl: Well, if it isn't the party animal. Caber: (to the girl) You two know each other? Girl: Unfortunately. Sugar's my party-crazed sister. Joel: (to Sugar) That girl is your sister? Sugar: Yep. Polly: Why didn't ya tell us, Sugar? Sugar: See, she and I aren't necessarily close... Polly: Like you and I are? Caber: (puts Sugar down, to her big sister) Well, anyway, my name's Caber. (offers a handshake) Girl: Name's Selena. (returns handshake) Joel: Uh... Caber? Don't look behind you... Caber: (confused) Say what, now? Joel: Just don't look behind you... Joel: I TOLD YOU NOT TO LOOK! Caber: (unfazed) What's the matter? It's just a Gengar. Joel: I think Gengar eats the souls of people! Caber: Sugar? Really? It's only a Gengar. Now come out. (pulls Sugar out again) Sugar: EEEEEEEE!!!! (waves her hands and arms wildly at Gengar) Get away, get away, get away! Caber: (concerned) Sugar, what is the matter with you? Sugar: IT'S EATING MY HAIR! AND I'M SCARED OF GHOST-TYPES! Selena: You never did like Lavender Town, did you? Caber: Um, no offense, but since you're Sugar's sister, couldn't you be a little more sympathetic? Selena: It's not in my job to be sympathetic. My job is the Gym Leader of Lavender Town. Joel: Whoa. You're a Gym Leader? Since when? Selena: Since a few years ago. Polly: (confused) I thought most regions have 8 gyms, not 9. Selena: Well, yeah, apparently Kanto made an exception or something. (looks at her black painted nails.) Caber: So by the way Sugar is acting around Gengar, I'm guessing you specialize in Ghost-types, like Agatha of the Elite Four. Selena: Yep. Though I hear she's retired. Polly: Sugar, how come you don't like Ghost-type Pokémon? Sugar: THEY KILL PEOPLE! Caber: Sugar, don't you think you're over-reacting a little? Besides, there's no such thing as an evil Pokémon - Ghost-type or not. Even my Grandpa backs up that theory. Sugar: So trying to kill sailors isn't evil?! Polly: (to Selena) What's she talking about? Selena: Jellicent. They prey on ships and try to sink them, eating the dead sailors. Or so they say. Don't really believe it myself. But my party-crazed sister is convinced that it's true. Sugar: YOU KNOW I BELIEVED EVERYTHING MOM TOLD ME! Caber: (moves the two sisters apart) Uh, could we not get into an argument over who's right and who's wrong? Selena: Okay. Big Faye: (giggles) You four are so cute. Sugar: How are Ghost-type Pokémon cute...? Big Faye: Oh, hi, everyone. (notices Selena) Who's your new friend? Joel: Eh, funny story. I don't mean funny "ha-ha", I mean "ironic" funny. Anyway, this is Sugar's sister, Selena, who happens to be a Ghost-type Gym Leader, and Sugar, as it turns out, is afraid of Ghost-types. Big Faye: Oh. (nervously) Um, I'm sorry, Sugar. I didn't know you had a fear of Ghost-types. Uh, no offense, Selena. Nice to meet you. (giggles uneasily) Selena: (to Sugar) When exactly were you gonna tell me you and your friends with the ones with the giant girl that was on the news? Selena: Y'know, some idiot Trainer who tried to challenge my Ghost-types with his Fighting-types mentioned traveling with a group that had a giant in it. Selena: Tried to say I shouldn't be battling him, but the punk wouldn't take no for an answer, and insisted that as a girl, I had no right to be a Gym Leader. Sugar: (to Caber) Like with Misty. Caber: Hmm. (pause) Selena, did this punk have messy dark brown hair, with a gray hoodie, jeans, gray sneakers, and say stuff like, "Cross me and I'll punch your face!"? Selena: Actually, yes. Caber and Sugar: (in unison) Slab. Selena: Hmm. Had a feeling that idiot was referring to you. Fortunately, his Fighting-types couldn't beat Ghost-types, especially Gengar. Gengar: (nods) Gengar. Sugar: Awesome! Selena: (notices Sugar's response) Really? How? Sugar: Just the fact that you showed that sexist creep a thing or two. Selena: Well, truthfully, the idiot asked for it. Sugar: Mm-hmm. Selena: Just one thing though. Just before he left after his lost, he said something about getting revenge on the group of trainers who humiliated him, especially on the one who has a Charmeleon. (looks at Caber and Charmeleon) I'm guessing he was referring to you. Joel: Most likely. Sugar: Yep. Polly: Mm-hmm. Big Faye: (nervous) Oh... My. Caber: Whoo boy. Sounds like he's going down a rather dark path. Sugar: I say we look out. Caber: You may be right. Selena: Sugar? A moment. Sugar: Okay...? Selena: Listen, sis. I know we haven't always seen eye to eye on most things, and we haven't always gotten along... But after all that I've seen today... I'm glad to have you as my sister. Sugar: (shocked) Really? Selena: Yes. Honestly, I didn't think you'd last so long on your own. But now when I look at you with all these friends that you've made... I thought Grandma had lost her marbles when she phoned me weeks. But now I see that she was right. You're definitely growing up. Sugar: Grandma told you? Selena: Yes. And let me say this. Grandma's not proud of her past, her dating Giovanni's dad and all. When she found out he was part of a criminal organization, she tried to put it behind her. Because she regretted it for all her life after that. Sugar: (pause) You're not making it up, are you? Selena: Sugar. I may be many things you don't agree with, but I would never lie to you. And Gengar would never try to hurt you. He's just playing with you. Trust me, I know. He did it to me too when I was younger. Sugar: Seriously? Selena: Seriously. Gengar: (nods) Gengar. Selena: And I know how much losing our brother hurt you. We can't change the past... But I believe we can work for a better future. Grandma and I both love you and we wanna have a better relationship with you. (pause) But if you don't wanna believe anything I've just told you, and want nothing to do with me or Grandma, then we'll respect your wishes and stay out of your life... But only if that's what you really want us to do. Selena: Does this mean you forgive me? Sugar: Mm-hmm! Polly: (to Caber) Think they'll get along much better now? Caber: I hope so. Big Faye: (weeps) Aw... Scenes like this always make me cry. Joel: (gurgles) Hey, easy on the tears! Big Faye: (realizes) Oh. (sniffles) I'm sorry. Selena: (to Caber) Hey, uh, Caber, is it? Do me a favor, and watch over my sister. Caber: I'll do my best, ma'am. (they shake hands)
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